Nine dessert plates

Art Historical Context

These nine elegant dessert plates, crafted around 1769 at the renowned Nymphenburg Porcelain Manufactory in Germany, exemplify the pinnacle of 18th-century European porcelain artistry. Produced in hard-paste porcelain—a technically advanced medium developed in Europe to rival Chinese imports—the plates measure 22.2 cm in diameter each and feature delicate floral decorations, as suggested by their tagging. This hard-paste formula, prized for its durability, translucency, and fine white body, allowed artisans to create thin, gleaming wares ideal for luxurious table settings. Housed in the Rober...